Dr. Devean Owens-Toler is a scholar practitioner, author, and equity strategist whose work explores how organizations can move beyond performative commitments toward meaningful, systemic change. She currently serves as Associate Director of Research Insights at EAB, where she leads equity-centered r
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Dr. Devean Owens-Toler is a scholar practitioner, author, and equity strategist whose work explores how organizations can move beyond performative commitments toward meaningful, systemic change. She currently serves as Associate Director of Research Insights at EAB, where she leads equity-centered research that helps companies translate data into action.
She holds a PhD in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership with a concentration in Diversity and Equity in Education, along with a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations. Her training in both research and analytics informs her approach to studying organizations with rigor, clarity, and care.
Dr. Owens-Toler’s scholarship centers Black women, women of color, and historically marginalized communities, with particular attention to mentorship, resistance, and organizational transformation. Her work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, and national policy reports, including Anti-racist change: A conceptual framework for educational institutions to take systemic action, Help a sista out: Black women doctoral students’ use of peer mentorship as an act of resistance, and SquadGoals: Intersectionality, mentorship, and women of color in the academy. Across her writing, she challenges institutions to confront power, culture, and accountability in equity work.
In addition to her scholarly contributions, Dr. Owens-Toler is an educator, advocate, and breast cancer survivor. She has served as an Adjunct Professor at Southern Methodist University and holds leadership and advocacy roles with the Tigerlily Foundation, the American Cancer Society GenNow, and For the Breast of Us, advancing health equity and survivorship for Black women.
An alumna of Southern Methodist University and the University of Illinois, she is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and a frequent speaker on equity, leadership, and breast cancer. She is also a wife and the mother of three, a role that continues to shape her commitment to building a more just and affirming world.
